Conventionally, a method for installing an audio conferencing apparatus every point at which an audio conference is conducted and connecting these apparatuses by a network and communicating a sound signal has often been used as a method for conducting an audio conference between remote places. Then, various audio conferencing apparatuses used in such an audio conference have been devised.
In an audio conferencing apparatus of Patent Reference 1, a sound signal input through a network is emitted from a speaker placed in a ceiling surface and a sound signal collected by each microphone placed in side surfaces using plural different directions as respective front directions is sent to the outside through the network.
In an audio conferencing apparatus of Patent Reference 2, when a talker selects a talker's microphone, a pseudo echo signal corresponding to this microphone position is generated and an emission sound diffracted and collected in the microphone is canceled and only a sound signal generated by the talker is sent to the outside through a network.
Patent Reference 1: JP-A-8-298696
Patent Reference 2: JP-A-5-158492